1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a steam iron, more particularly to a steam iron with a detachable water reservoir.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional steam iron 1 is shown to comprise an iron unit 11 with a plurality of steam outlets 111, a base unit 12 formed with a receiving space 121, an evaporating unit 13 installed fixedly in the receiving space 121, a metallic relief valve 14 mounted on the evaporating unit 13, and a connecting tube 15 interconnecting the evaporating unit 13 and the iron unit 11. The evaporating unit 13 includes a housing 132 that defines a steam generating chamber 131, a heating unit 133 installed on a bottom portion of the housing 132, a hollow tube 135 threadedly connected to a top portion of the housing 132, and a steam port 136 that is formed through the housing 132 and that is in fluid communication with the steam generating chamber 131. The tube 135 has a water inlet 134 that is in fluid communication with the steam generating chamber 131. The relief valve 14 is threadedly connected to the tube 135. The connecting tube 15 is disposed above and is in fluid communication with the steam port 136. The iron unit 11 further includes a steam switch 112, which can be pressed to control the release of steam from the steam outlets 111.
In use, the relief valve 14 is rotatably opened to permit filling of water into the steam generating chamber 131 via the water inlet 134 in the tube 135. The heating unit 133 is activated after the relief valve 14 is threadedly mounted on the threaded tube 135 to vaporize the water in the steam generating chamber 131. When steam is needed, the steam switch 112 is pressed such that the steam flows from the steam port 136 into the iron unit 11 via the connecting tube 15, thereby exiting from the steam outlets 111.
The following are some of the drawbacks of the conventional steam iron 1:
1. The entire steam iron 1 has to be moved to a water source for refilling of water into the steam generating chamber 131, there by making the steam iron 1 inconvenient to use.
2. Because the volume of the steam generating chamber 131 is relatively large, it is time-consuming to vaporize the water in the steam generating chamber 131. Furthermore, when water is refilled into the steam generating chamber 131, the temperature of the evaporating unit 13 is lowered, thereby prolonging the heating time.
3. Since steam is accumulated in the evaporating unit 13 and is released through the relief valve 14, the temperature of the relief valve 14 is relatively high. When the relief valve 14 is opened in order to fill water into the steam generating chamber 131, the high-temperature relief valve 14 can cause injury, such as scalding, to the user. The conventional steam iron 1 is thus unsafe.
4. It is not possible to view the remaining water in the evaporating unit 13 for timely replenishing of water since the evaporating unit 13 is installed inside the base unit 12. As such, the evaporating unit 13 is easily burned, thereby rendering the conventional steam iron 1 dangerous to use.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a steam iron with a detachable water reservoir that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.
According to this invention, a steam iron comprises an iron unit, a base unit, an evaporating unit, a water reservoir, a pump unit, and a connecting tube. The iron unit includes a sole plate and a plurality of steam outlets in the soleplate. The base unit has a receiving space defined therein. The evaporating unit is concealed in the receiving space in the base unit, and includes a thermally conductive housing that confines a steam generating chamber, and a heating unit for heating the housing. The housing is formed with a water inlet and a steam port that is in fluid communication with the steam generating chamber. The water reservoir is detachably connected to the base unit. The pump unit is provided for drawing water from the water reservoir into the steam generating chamber via the water inlet. The connecting tube interconnects the evaporating unit and the iron unit so that the steam outlets in the iron unit are in fluid communication with the steam port in the evaporating unit, thereby permitting discharge of the steam from the steam outlets in the iron unit.